SHOVELING DATA WITH THE SHELL

FTP and NcFTP are both FTP clients for the command line. While FTP only has basic file transfer functionality, NcFTP has a whole bunch of additional features.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a suite of Internet protocols that helps users transfer data between two computers. One computer serves as the FTP client, and the other machine is the server.

Most FTP servers provide anonymous services, in which you can enter anonymous or ftp as your login name and not provide a password, although it is considered a friendly gesture to enter your own email address. Other servers, run by webspace providers, for example, prompt you to enter your username and your password for the purpose of authentication. Be aware that, in contrast to secure protocols (such as Secure Shell SSH), a protocol such as FTP transmits usernames, passwords, and other data across the network in clear text, and FTP is thus unsuitable for exchanging confidential information.